Tool Steel Selection for Hot Extrusion Dies

Select tool steel by extrusion temperature, hot hardness, tempering resistance, abrasive wear, die complexity, and thermal shock requirement. For hot extrusion dies, the main choice is usually between hot strength, wear resistance, toughness, and resistance to softening during prolonged contact with hot metal.

Quick Selection Guide by Tool Steel Grade

Choose the grade according to the extruded material, die type, temperature level, cooling condition, and whether the steel is used for solid dies, shaped dies, mandrels, liners, dummy blocks, or support tooling.

Aluminum Extrusion Dies

H13 Tool Steel1.2344 / SKD61

Recommended for solid dies, shaped dies, tubing dies, containers, shrink rings, dummy blocks, liners, and mandrels in light-metal extrusion.

Reason: H13 gives a strong balance of hot strength, toughness, thermal shock resistance, and nitriding response for aluminum and magnesium extrusion tooling.

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Tough Hot-Work Dies

H11 Tool Steel1.2343 / SKD6

Recommended for solid dies, shaped dies, mandrels, dummy blocks, liners, and extrusion tooling where toughness is critical.

Reason: H11 provides hot strength, high toughness, and thermal shock resistance, making it suitable for complex dies and water-cooled service.

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Copper & Brass Extrusion

H21 Tool Steel1.2581 / SKD5

Recommended for extrusion dies, dummy blocks, and inserts used for copper, brass, and other higher-temperature non-ferrous alloys.

Reason: H21 contains high tungsten, giving stronger red hardness and resistance to softening during prolonged high-temperature extrusion.

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Steel Extrusion Inserts

H13 Tool Steel1.2344 / SKD61

Recommended for steel extrusion solid dies and support tooling where toughness and hot-work reliability are required.

Reason: H13 is used for steel extrusion dies and support components when the tooling needs hot toughness and resistance to thermal stress.

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High-Temperature Inserts

H21 Tool Steel1.2581 / SKD5

Recommended for steel extrusion die orifices and high-temperature inserts where H13 may soften too quickly.

Reason: H21 provides higher hot hardness and better resistance to washing-out wear in severe high-temperature extrusion conditions.

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Extreme Heat Resistance

M2 High Speed Steel1.3343 / SKH51

Recommended only when stronger hot wear resistance is required and the application can justify a higher-alloy tool steel direction.

Reason: High-alloy high-speed steels are considered where conventional hot-work steels are not enough for severe thermal and wear conditions.

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Selection Summary

This table gives a faster comparison when the buyer already knows the extruded material and main tooling requirement. ESR-melted 1.2344 for extrusion die shops and their distributors is covered in the 1.2344 ESR H13 extrusion supply guide.

Extrusion Application	Main Requirement	Aobo Steel Grades
Aluminum and magnesium extrusion dies	Hot strength, toughness, thermal shock resistance, and nitriding response	H13, H11
Complex bridge or spider dies	Toughness and resistance to brittle fracture under extrusion pressure	H13, H11
Copper and brass extrusion dies	Red hardness and resistance to softening at high temperature	H21
Steel extrusion dies and die orifices	Hot toughness, hot hardness, and wear resistance	H13, H21
Containers, shrink rings, dummy blocks, liners, and mandrels	Support strength, hot toughness, and resistance to pressure	H13, H11
Extreme thermal and wear conditions	Higher alloy hot wear resistance	M2

Aluminum extrusion uses the same hot-work steels on a different duty cycle: the grade by tooling component is on the aluminum extrusion die steel selection page.